Ok, so I am not sorry I missed it. Trovatore is not real high on my list of Verdi favorites anyway...although it was the first opera I ever saw performed (I was 11 and it was a really bad touring company, which may have affected my perception).

I missed this Trovatore, but from all I've heard it was indeed an unmemorable occasion, all in all.

"ee-mel" is how they said Bryan Hymel's name on the intermission feature, and that's what I've been hearing in general. He's from Louisiana and referred to his "Cajun roots" when jokingly explaining his affinity for French music.